DOZENS OF PILOT WHALES DIE AFTER MASS STRANDING IN AUSTRALIA

Fri 26 April 2024:

Out of 160 long-finned pilot whales that became stranded over a wide area in Western Australia, at least 26 of them have perished; however, several more have been saved.

At Toby Inlet in Geographe Bay, close to Dunsborough, dozens of whales got stuck in shallow water on Thursday morning, stretching a distance of roughly 500 metres (0.31 miles). The area is about 155 miles (less than 250 kilometers) south of Perth, the state capital.

Wildlife preservation teams and local authorities joined by many volunteers to help them get back to deeper waters.

Pia Courtis, a spokesperson for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, said samples would be taken from the deceased whales before removing them from the shores.

More than 100 whales were moved offshore, but Courtis said they may return.

“We’ve got vessels out on the water and we’ve also got a spotter plane up in the air that’s doing searches over every couple of hours to see where they are,” she said.

“So far so good, they haven’t made it back to shore.”

The department said that once fully beached, whales usually had to be euthanised as that would be “the most humane outcome”.

In Australia and New Zealand, large-scale pilot whale strandings are not unusual. However, despite decades of these incidents, scientists are still unsure of their exact causes. According to some researchers, pods go off track after feeding too close to shore.

Pilot whales – which can grow to more than 6 metres (20 feet) long – are highly sociable, so they may follow podmates who stray into danger.

25 April 11.20am
A team of experienced staff including wildlife officers, marine scientists, veterinarians are on site or on their way. There are 4 pods of up to 160 pilot whales in total spread across about 500 metres. 26 whales that stranded on the beach have died. pic.twitter.com/0YF2M2muh3

— Shark Safety WA (@SharkSafetyWA) April 25, 2024

Human-caused underwater noise pollution has been connected to a few stranding scenarios, which may have an impact on the animals’ sensitive hearing.

According to wildlife specialists, the whales’ strange behavior can potentially be a sign of stress or illness inside the pod. Throughout their lives, pilot whales frequently have tight bonds with their pods.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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